The Interreligious Forum: “Interreligious cooperation as a path to peace” will be held on June 25, 2024 in Asunción, Paraguay, within the framework of the fifty-fourth regular session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States.

The international meeting in Asunción is unique because it will bring together for the first time a large number of officials from the various ministries of religious affairs of the countries of the American hemisphere. Religious leaders, NGO leaders, academics, diplomats and representatives of indigenous spiritualities will participate. Participants will come from many countries in the region.

Following the Forum sessions, there will be a reception for ambassadors and OAS officials at which the 2024 FIDELA Prize for Peace and Harmony will be presented.

Why is this meeting taking place? Religion is one of the most profound influences on society. Religious belief is vital and widespread in the Western Hemisphere. Religion plays a major role in culture, the arts, education, medical and humanitarian assistance, and many other sectors of society. It plays a vital role in family life as a source of shared values ​​and traditions. Religious values ​​have motivated and inspired several important developments in history, including the abolition of slavery and the civil rights movement.

Interreligious cooperation has been highlighted as a very valuable tool for promoting the sustainable development of society. Religion motivates charitable works that benefit the whole society at levels that States alone cannot achieve. Through dialogue, respect and collaboration, religions and States, each in their own sphere of action and without violating their respective autonomy, contribute to a culture of solidarity, democracy and pluralism, which is important for all, believers and non-believers. In the end, interreligious cooperation can be, as our theme says, “a path to peace.”

The Forum will be a welcoming space for high-quality dialogue, exchange and presentation. It is expected that this Forum will be an enjoyable experience in every sense, and that it will lead to a higher level of knowledge and collaboration.